By Daramy Bangura
Freetown Mayor Yvonne Aki-Sawyerr joined senior opposition figures in high-level talks with international mediators on April 14, as efforts continue to resolve Sierra Leone’s political impasse.
Aki-Sawyerr, a flagbearer aspirant of the All People’s Congress (APC), participated in the meeting alongside Acting Chairman Osman Foday Yansaneh and Secretary-General Lansana Dumbuya.
The engagement with the so-called Moral Guarantors comes amid ongoing tensions over the implementation of the Agreement for National Unity and recommendations from the Tripartite Committee, established following the disputed 2023 elections.
During the meeting, Aki-Sawyerr raised concerns about what she described as the dysfunction of the Tripartite Steering Committee and outlined the position of APC-led local councils on the party’s ongoing boycott of governance processes, calling for a credible resolution.
The APC has been pushing for electoral reforms and greater transparency, particularly following the recent appointment of a Chief Electoral Commissioner, which the party says has further eroded trust in the process.
The mediation effort is being facilitated by international partners including the Commonwealth, the United Nations Office for West Africa and the Sahel, the African Union and the Economic Community of West African States. The mission is led by Fatoumata Jallow Tambajang.
The talks are part of ongoing efforts to support dialogue, rebuild trust and promote inclusive governance in Sierra Leone, where political divisions have persisted since the last general elections.
